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I barely discovered Octavia Butler. I was sucked into Dawn like I have been sucked into few books. Unfortunately, they don't have its sequels at the local library. I'm now waiting for them to show up from half.com. Posts: 751 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Left hand of darkness was stunning. I like it when writer creates his/her world complex.
It,s quite like Tolien, though I doubt there are many books with so many names as Silmarilion Le Guin has even created her own calendar.
The book was simply great, even though short. I do not like short good stories. So if Mr. Card reads it...
Posts: 723 | Registered: Dec 2004
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Porter, that's awful! I was about to volunteer to mail you my copies of the other two, but then I remembered that last time I was rereading them I discovered that the last 10 pages of the third book had been shredded (literally shredded--I have no idea how that could have happened). I had to go to a bookstore to finish it, but I didn't buy a new copy of the book right then. I need to remember to do that.
Anyway, you could always request them through interlibrary loan. You might also check to make sure that your library doesn't have a book called Lilith's Brood--it's all three of the Xenogenesis books in a single volume.
If you haven't read her book Wild Seed you're missing something at least as good if not better than Dawn. It's that good. Her more recent Parable books are incredibly well written, but I find them so painful to read that I don't reread them very often.
Have you read any of her short fiction? Most of it is collected in Bloodchild and Other Stories, and almost all of it is fantastically good (although I maintain that "Speech Sounds" feels like the first chapter of an amazingly good book rather than a short story. That could just be me in denial, though, liking the main character so much that I didn't want the story to be over).
Szymon, it's interesting that you don't like short stories--I think I actually prefer them to novels. Have you read any of Card's short work? Most of it is collected in Maps in a Mirror, and it's fantastically good stuff.
quote: Others whose work I love include Maureen McHugh, Octavia Butler, Pat Murphy, Nancy Kress, Robin Hobb, James Tiptree Jr., C. L. Moore and Lisa Tuttle.
You know, I had been wondering about whether Robin Hobb was male or female. It's not that it really matters, I had just been curious. Robin is a name that can be male or female (I know a guy who spells his name the same way) and the about the author at the back of the Farseer trilogy simply said, "Robin Hobb lives in Washington State."
Posts: 1547 | Registered: Jan 2004
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Robin Hobb is actually a pen name for Megan Lindholm. I haven't actually read that much of the stuff that she published under that name--Wizard of the Pigeons is all I'm coming up with for sure.
Speaking of Robin Hobb, anybody know when Shaman's Crossing is coming out?
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Looks like there's no definite publication date for it yet, but according to her site she was doing final rewrites in Feb, so I'm guessing it'll be out by the end of this year.
My favorite quote from her site is:
quote:If you are not hearing the background music for my site, it is either because your browser has better taste than that or I didn't include any. Probably the latter. Feel free to hum whilst your peruse this.
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The Word For World is "Forest" remains one of the most powerful SF novels I have ever read. It lingered in my mind long after the covers were shut.
Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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speaking of Dianne Wynne Jones... there is a JApanise anamated film of her book HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE that I found to be quite wonderful. It is in Japanise, and i dont know if there are any future plans to create a translated version in the future, but even if there isnt, I would reccomend people see it in Japanise. I did, and I really dont speak or understand much Japanise and still found the film to be very enjoyable and facinating.
Posts: 104 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Noemon >> I know, but it's always very annoying when you read with great interest and you know that the ending is coming... Posts: 723 | Registered: Dec 2004
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There's an entire Tamora Pierce series that I've missed? Must return overdue library books ASAP. Mr. TheClone, I am twenty and shall never, ever stop reading YA novels. You have plenty of company.
I'd like to add Robin McKinley, with her long list of wonderfully dimensional heroines, to the discussion. One of my favorite passages of fiction occurs in The Hero and the Crown when Maur's head is mounted in the great hall and it's voice almost kills Aerin with despair. It tingles me.
And Jane Yolen, too. Can't forget her.
Posts: 152 | Registered: Apr 2005
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HA! I just went to the Portland Wordstock festival over the weekend, and got my copy of The Farthest Shore signed by ULG herself. Yeah and she talked at length on how the movie butchered her books.
Posts: 18 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Porter, the wait for the sequels will be worth it - they are *so* incredibly good. Noemon, what do you find so painful about the "Parable" books? It's been awhile since I read them. *Hugs her signed copy of "Lilith's Brood"* Ms. Butler needs to write a new book right now.
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Well, horrible thing after horrible thing happened to an incredibly well drawn, vividly real primary character (I can't remember what this Lilith's name was right now, for some reason). The setting was unutterably bleak, but also quite believable. For me, that's a combination for a painful book. I loved them, but they definitely hurt to read.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I've been wondering what Butler is up to--wish she had a site that she maintained. At the moment I'm impatiently awaiting a new Butler book, a new McHugh book, and A Feast for Crows.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I now have the entire Xenogenesis trilogy, and am halfway through it.
Once I finish the Xenogenesis series, I have the Bloodchild and Other Stories book and both Parable books to read.
While waiting for it to show up, I read Patternmaster, the only book in that series in my local library. Now I have to find that entire series as well.
I couple of weeks ago, read Speech Sounds in OSC's Future On Ice. It makes me look forward to reading more of her short fiction.
Posts: 751 | Registered: Apr 2005
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You're making me want to read through all of my Butler books again.
I found the Patternmaster series to be fairly weak compared to most of her stuff. Of course it's also some of her oldest work, unless I'm misremembering. The prequel to that series, Wild Seed is the exception--it's an absolutely stunning book, one one the best things she's written if not the best.
Did "Speech Sounds" feel like the first chapter of a novel to you, rather than a short story?
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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"YA" just means that the books may appeal to younger readers. Doesn't mean you ever have to stop reading them just because you got more candles on your cake.
Let's see, female science fiction writers on my bookshelves and in my Palm Pilot...
Gail Baudino, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Lois Bujold, Poppy Z Brite, Susan Cooper, J. M. Dillard, Diane Duane, Esther Friesner, Madeline L'Engle, Mercedes Lackey, Ursula Le Guin, Holly Lisle, Tanith Lee, Vonda McIntyre, Julian May, Anne McCaffrey, Robin McKinley, Laura J. Mixon, Elizabeth Moon, Andre Norton, Tanora Pierce, Jeanne Robinson, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, James Tiptree, Jr (Alice Sheldon), Judith Tarr, Sheri Tepper, Connie Willis... an incomplete list, I assure you.
And that doesn't even begin to mention the non-sf female writers I enjoy. Jennifer Crusie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Sharyn McCrumb, Alice Sebold, Audrey Niffenegger, Rita Mae Brown, Agatha Christie, Alice Hoffman, Jane Smiley, Ann Tyler... I better stop before my wrists cramp.
Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000
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quote:Did "Speech Sounds" feel like the first chapter of a novel to you, rather than a short story?
I can see how it could be greatly expanded into a larger story, but I did not feel unsatisfied when it ended. It felt complete enough for me.
Posts: 751 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Octavia Butler's next book is called "Fledgling", and will be out in stores in November 2005--or at least that's what the web is saying if you google around. It's about genetically-engineered vampires, I guess...the topic sounds corny, but knowing Ms. Butler's powerful, throughtful writing, I'm looking forward to see her take on it. If anyone can make you believe in vampires, she's the one.
I realize a lot of you are mentioning women writers who are well-known have been around at least a decade in most cases, but I wanted to mention Karin Lowachee if we're reccomending woman writers now. She's pretty new, came out with her first book in I think 2002, called "Warchild". It's been compared to OSC's "Ender's Game" by some--and that's not an insult to either book. She's really very good, does some of the best characterization I have EVER seen, and like Mr. Card does with Ender and the other kids, doesn't portray children like talking animals (oooh! It can talk!).
So for those of you who have already read most of the classics and well-known authors and want something new, take a look at Karin Lowachee's "Warchild". She was nominated for several awards. Her third book just came out this month.
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Le Guin has even created her own calendar. ![[Angst]](graemlins/angst.gif)
Must return overdue library books ASAP. Mr. TheClone, I am twenty and shall never, ever stop reading YA novels. You have plenty of company.![[Wink]](wink.gif)
